Homecoming
by shimmerdragoness
Summary: Three days after the Pharaoh leaves for the afterlife, Kaiba gets a call from Yugi that turns his world upside down. Again. A friendship-centered tale including lasagna, air mattresses, portals, hot tea, snowballs, and a mildly OOC Kaiba.
1. Chapter 1

Mokuba chanced a glance into his brother's office for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. He hoped to find the room empty this time, to find a note on the door proclaiming its occupant had stepped out for a walk, had emigrated to Zimbabwe, had gone fishing, _anything. _A quick peek around the doorframe dashed his half-formed hope. Seto sat stonily at his desk, his fingers laced in front of his face, his elbows resting of the desk top, his eyes staring intensely out in the room. Mokuba sighed quietly and leaned against the door. Seto had been in that position ever since they had returned from Egypt three days ago. Three days since Yami Yugi—no—Pharaoh Atem had left for the afterlife. Had it really been only three days? It seemed a lot longer. It seemed an eternity.

He silently watched his brother, whose piercing gaze seemed to be staring at something afar off. What was he thinking? Mokuba knew that the Pharaoh had been his big brother's greatest rival and sometimes ally…but was it possible that Seto actually missed him? That didn't seem likely, given his brother's aloof and independent attitude, but…why else would Seto all but barricade himself in his office, hardly eat, barely sleep, and stare vacantly at nothing for hours? Could it be that he was remembering everything Atem had told him, everything they had gone through together? Mokuba couldn't tell. Seto was as cold and unreadable as Egyptian hieroglyphics.

With a final glance back at his brother, Mokuba turned to go with a heavy heart. "Mokuba." The single word froze him in place and seemed to fill the room. "I know you're there. Come in." Mokuba paused briefly on the threshold, unnerved by his brother's flat tone. With a deep breath, he surged through the doorway and let his momentum carry him across the room, finally stopping in front of the desk.

"Yes, big brother?" His own voice sounded weak in his ears. Seto shifted his gaze from the vacant somewhere he been staring at to his younger brother.

"Mokuba—" The intercom suddenly beeped, causing both brothers to flinch slightly. Seto snarled at it and glanced questioningly at Mokuba, who smiled wryly and nodded. Seto answered unwillingly, his irritation evident in his voice.

"What?" he barked.

"Excuse me, sir," replied the voice of his secretary, completely unfazed by his curtness, "You're receiving a call from a certain Mr. Muto. Should I put it through?" Seto and Mokuba exchanged surprised glances.

"Yes, go ahead." Seto slowly lifted the telephone receiver. Why would Yugi be calling him? "Seto Kaiba."

"Hey, Kaiba? It's me, Yugi. Um…how've you been?" Seto narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, well…you remember how Atem left us back in Egypt?" Such a long silence followed that Yugi began to fear he had lost connection. "Hello? Seto? You still there?"

"Of course I remember. So what?" For some reason, Seto felt his heart rate start to pick up.

"Well, he's—well, you know, it's like this—" Suddenly there was a scuffling sound on the other end, as if the receiver were changing hands. Kaiba tightened his grip on the receiver and felt his breath stick in his throat.

"I'm back, Kaiba."

Mokuba started in surprise as the receiver slid from Seto's hand and clattered to the desk. He tried to decipher the myriad of emotions suddenly rushing across his brother's face in a disconcerting blur, but to no avail. Horror? Shock? Joy? Relief?

"Big brother, what's wrong? What did Yugi say?" Seto ignored him and snatched up the receiver again, abruptly regaining his composure.

"That's impossible. This is a pretty sick joke you've thought up."

"I assure you, Kaiba, this is no joke. I am Atem. I am back." There was no mistaking that voice. Mokuba watched his brother in wonder. Seto was outwardly calm, but Mokuba noticed that he was so worked up, the hand gripping the receiver was trembling and white-knuckled.

"Where…" Seto's voice faltered for an instant. "Where are you?" he demanded, after managing to regain control of his voice.

"At Yugi's. Kaiba—will you come?" Kaibe didn't answer. He slammed the receiver back into its cradle and rose stormily from his chair.

"Mokuba, I've got to go." He snatched his silver coat from where it had been thrown haphazardly over the back of his chair and yanked it on as he strode to the door. Mokuba watched him go in continually mounting amazement, wondering what Yugi—Yugi!—could have said to drag Seto out of his self-imposed solitary confinement.


	2. Chapter 2

Seto was at Yugi's house in minutes. He stayed in the backseat of his limo a long while after they had parked, though, suddenly questioning what had dragged him here so urgently. Okay, a guy he had thought was gone for good had called him up on the phone. So what? This was his _rival, _for crying out loud. He should be _angry _this guy was back. He should be stalking _away _from here, preferably snarling. So what was this nagging feeling of joy that kept sneaking up in the back of his mind? He shoved it back again with vehemence.

Tristan pushed back the curtains of the window and glanced outside. "Yep, he's there, just like Yugi said. I can see his hearse from here." Tèa made a face at him.

"You mean his limo." Joey folded his arms and glanced over at Yugi.

"You just _had _to tell him. What got into you that made you call the rich boy?" Yugi was about to reply when Atem appeared in the doorway beside him, effectively silencing all the room's occupants. They still couldn't believe he was back, looking just as they remembered him—taller than Yugi, shorter than Joey, with intense purple eyes a sharper version of Yugi's own and hair that was somehow wild and ordered at the same time. He was as pale as they remembered him being, too, not the darker tint he had started to acquire while in Egypt. He was also dressed in a Domino school uniform borrowed from Bakura, who was closest in build to the Pharaoh, so he looked almost exactly as he had the very first time he had dueled Kaiba.

"I asked Yugi to call him." Atem followed Tristan's gaze out the window. "He's been through many an adventure with us. He was there when I departed, after all. It's only right that he should be here for my return, as well." Joey snorted.

"It doesn't look like that'll be the case, though. I don't think he's even going to get out of his car. He's probably cursing himself that he let himself be lured over here and is about to drive off again, call or no." Atem smiled.

"That is also a possibility. But I wanted to try."

Joey didn't know how close he had come to the truth. Kaiba was in fact seriously considering telling his driver to get the heck out of there when he chanced a glance through the window and saw him. Saw _him. _He hadn't changed at all. The nagging feeling of elation from before rose in him again, and as he wrestled it back with an effort he realized he couldn't leave yet. Not now.

Tristan glanced out the window again. "Well, Joey, you would have lost that bet. He's getting out." Joey's eyes went as round as saucers.

"You're kidding, right?" A quick glance out the window confirmed Tristan's statement. Joey began to panic slightly. "Hey, he's really coming here. I thought he couldn't stand us. He called us a kindergarten." A short, sharp rap on the door cut off any more discussion. Everyone exchanged a glance before Tèa finally rose and answered the door. Everyone expected Kaiba to barge in like a maelstrom demanding answers. Instead, he slid into the house as quietly and smoothly as a shadow and immediately positioned himself in a far corner, folding his arms across his chest as if putting up a wall. He and Atem locked gazes across the room. Silence descended and stretched on for several heartbeats.

"Welcome," Atem said at last, breaking the tension. "Thank you for coming." Kaiba cast a glance around the room. The whole gang seemed to have been assembled. Not only were he, Tèa, Tristan and Joey present, but Duke, Bakura, Mai, Serenity and even Marik, Ishizu, and Odion Ishtar were arranged in various positions around the living room. Kaiba wondered briefly if he ought to have brought Mokuba along. Serenity offered him a plate of cookies despite the evil look her brother cast at her, but Kaiba declined curtly. Atem stepped into the middle of the room, looking for all the world like a politician about to deliver a speech…which he was, essentially.

"Honored friends, I've gather you all here because—well, you know the reason already. I have returned. What you don't all know is _why_ I'm back." He paused and stared for a moment at the carpet, collecting his thoughts. "When I bid farewell to you all in Egypt, I honestly believed it would be for the last time. But—as I began my existence in the afterlife I soon came to realize that I couldn't be happy there. I was happy to reunite with my old friends and family, but you were always foremost in my thoughts. I simply couldn't get you guys out of my head." He looked at each one of them in turn. "Mahad noticed it first. He asked me directly if I was content, and I couldn't tell him yes with a clear conscience. Everyone gathered and talked it over. Seto had the idea that since I never truly died it might be possible to send me back into the world of the living, especially since I had such strong ties with all of you here. Especially Yugi, because he completed the puzzle, and—and Kaiba." All heads turned as one to look at the tall silver shadow in the corner. "Kaiba, because he is my biggest rival." Kaiba's heart dropped fractionally at the last statement, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. "Everyone combined their magical powers, especially Kisara and Mahad, and they actually succeeded in opening a portal for me. Upon finding myself alive and well in Egypt, I sought out the Ishtars and they were kind enough to accompany me back to Domino." Well, that explained their presence here. "I have returned, and I will not be leaving you again. I promise you this." He glanced briefly at Kaiba. "I still have something to take care of. Besides, I have made Domino my home since I became linked with Yugi. You all are my friends now, and to a degree my family. If you will have me back." Duke barked out a laugh.

"Have you back? Us, who cried bitterly at your departure? Us, who swarm like so many flies to your call? No, we don't want you back. No way." Atem smiled wryly at him as several other chuckled.

"We will also stay in the area for the time being," Ishizu said as the mirth quieted down. "You are also our friends, now, and we still have a certain duty to the Pharaoh." Joey scratched his head.

"That just leaves the question where we're going to house you, old boy." Yugi smiled.

"That's no problem. He'll stay with me for the present, of course, where he feels most at home. Later we can get him his own place, if he wants one." Mai rose from the couch and stretched like a cat.

"Well, it looks like everything major is cleared up, now. I still have things to do, so I think I'll be going on my way. I'll see you later, Joey, Pharaoh." The Ishtars also took their leave, followed shortly by Duke and the rest of the gang. Yugi retreated deeper into the house. Finally only Atem and Kaiba were left in the room. Silence sat like a blanket over them until Kaiba finally broke it.

"Why?" Atem raised his gaze to meet Kaiba's. "Why did you call me? I am your enemy."

"No. You are my friend." Kaiba dropped his arms and took a step away from the wall.

"Stop. You've just come back, and already you've started with the lame friendship speeches. I am _not_ your friend! I have _never_ been your friend!" Atem's voice remained calm as he replied.

"Kaiba, you've helped me defeat Yami Marik. You helped me defeat Dartz and his Leviathan. And finally, you're here! You came at my call! Why, if you are not my friend?"

"Because—because it's not everyday that a Pharaoh returns from the afterlife." Kaiba grimaced internally. His argument sounded lame in his own ears.

"Be honest, Kaiba—are you happy that I've returned?" Seto opened his mouth to snap back, but no sound came out. Tension hung in the air between them for a moment. Something in him suddenly seemed to deflate. His shoulders sagged and he took a deep breath. When he spoke, his voice was hard and flat.

"Let go of my hate, you said. Trust in the heart of the cards, you said. But—the heart of the cards betrayed me! It—" Something snapped. Kaiba turned to the wall and slammed his fist against it, knocking a picture frame off the wall. A floodgate within him had been opened and he couldn't close it, even as he realized what he was saying. "It let Yugi win. It took you away, just when I needed you. Just when I thought—when—I—" He choked on the words, he couldn't get them out. He raised his gaze to Atem's, fire pouring from his eyes. "Do you have any idea what I went through after your departure?" His voice, which had been fairly quiet at first, rose abruptly to a crescendo. "Yes! All right, yes, _yes_. I _am _glad that you've returned! Are you happy now? Satisfied? I genuinely missed you. I'm happy that I have a chance again to have a real friend. Yes—" His voice broke off as suddenly as it had risen and he turned his face back to the wall. His fist was clenched so hard it hurt. Atem took a step towards him, but Kaiba slid from the corner and strode towards the door, his gaze locked on the floor.

"Kaiba!" Atem's plea stopped him short. A pause. "I believe I still owe you a duel." Kaiba slowly unclenched his fists. He turned to face Atem, who was standing across from him at the end of the hall, his eyes undecipherable. Atem hesitantly stretched out an arm, and after a moment of internal conflict Kaiba reached out as well. The two grasped forearms.

"Yes, you do. I still have to reclaim my title as Duel Champion." Atem's tense expression relaxed into a smile and he nodded. With that, Kaiba left the building, feeling a good deal lighter than he had entering.

Yugi joined Atem by the door and looked at him questioningly. Atem smiled in reply. "He still needs me," he said. "I had to come back. His journey is not yet over." Yugi was going to enquire further, but Atem had already disappeared back into the living room.

Mokuba was indignant. "Seto! Duke just called me. Atem is back? And you didn't tell me? And you didn't take me with you?"

"I'm sorry. I was rather rattled, as I'm sure you can understand. But in the near future he will duel me, and I will certainly take you with me then. Satisfied?" Mokuba glowered up at him for a moment, but finally his expression relaxed into a grin.

"Okay, okay, I'm satisfied. But Atem is back! That's wonderful!" The elation that Seto kept wrestling with in the back of his mind changed tactics and spread through his gut like a warm glow. Maybe there was a chance after all—a chance that he could have a friend that _wasn't _on his payroll. He relaxed into his office chair and gazed pensively out of the window. That was a novel thought. An absurd one, one he never expected to come to fruition—after all, he was Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, responsible for the shredding of the fourth Blue Eyes White Dragon, source of endless torment to Joey Wheeler, Yugi's best friend—but it was novel nonetheless…and not altogether unpleasant.


	3. Chapter 3

Kaiba!

Seto sat bolt upright from his position at the computer where he had been managing various affairs of his company. Deep in his heart, he thought he had heard the Pharaoh calling to him. It had been as clear as if Atem had been standing right beside him. There was still no mistaking that voice. There was also no mistaking the urgency verging on desperation that the voice carried with it. Kaiba had never heard Atem sound that way before. His gut told him that the Pharaoh was in serious trouble. His head immediately dismissed the whole thing as a hallucination. Yugi and his friends were always blathering about the deep bonds they shared and how at times they thought they could sense the others' distress, but he had always dismissed it as nonsense. Besides, despite what Atem claimed, they were hardly friends. There was no way—

_Kaiba!_

The desperation was almost tangible now in its intensity. There was even an undertone of fear in the cry. Seto grabbed both sides of his head. He had a heart-wrenching feeling that if he didn't do something RIGHT NOW they would all lose Atem again. That thought decided him. With his head still shouting at him about hallucinations, Kaiba lurched from his desk and half-staggered out of his office. He almost crashed into Mokuba on his way out.

"Seto? Where are you going?" Mokuba noticed a rather wild look in his brother's eyes. "Um…Seto? What's wrong?" Seto glanced down.

"Atem needs help." Mokuba's mouth dropped open briefly. By the time he had closed it again, Seto was almost down the hall. Mokuba dashed after him. He wasn't being left behind again.

The sky above Yugi's house was overcast and stormy, but it didn't look like any storm Kaiba had ever seen before. The clouds were a strange purple-grey-green and swirled in a spiral directly over the house. Lightning flashed in them periodically. As soon as his limo pulled up, Yugi and Joey ran out to greet him. Yugi was the first to speak.

"Kaiba! What are you doing here?" Kaiba glanced up at the sky and back to Yugi.

"You don't sound very surprised. If you must know, I thought I felt the Pharaoh calling me." Yugi and Joey exchanged glances. "Where is he? What's going on?" Joey grimaced.

"When the Pharaoh told us his story, he left out a tiny little detail. His father was against the whole idea. COMPLETELY against it. And now—" Yugi broke in.

"He's trying to get him back." Now Kaiba grimaced.

"Based on his cry for help, it's working." Yugi and Joey nodded grimly. "But you didn't answer my question. Where is he now?" Yugi pointed behind him.

"In the house. Come on, I'll show you. Maybe you'll be able to come up with an idea." Kaiba followed Yugi into the house, Joey and Mokuba trailing behind them. The sight that greeted his eyes when he stepped into the living room stunned him into silence for a moment. In the middle of the room, a large portal swirled, its interior such an intense black that it looked as though a piece had been cut out of the scenery. It radiated energy and was fiercely absorbing the air around it, generating an almost hurricane force wind. Atem was on one knee in front of it, bracing himself against the pull of the portal, shielding his eyes with one arm, his teeth gritted in concentration, his hair tossing wildly around his face. Standing over him, much to Kaiba's surprise, were Yugi's Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, their glowing staffs crossed in front of him, their stances and expressions pure determination and concentration and struggle. Yugi shouted over the tumult.

"This is all we can do. The Magicians are barely sufficient to counteract the pull of the portal and keep it from dragging him away completely, but we can't close the portal and we can't try and move him without risking losing him. The Magicians are just about exhausted, and we don't know what to do." Kaiba watched the scene with horrified fascination. This certainly explained the desperation of Atem's call! He glanced at the Magicians. They were trembling with fatigue already.

"How on Earth did you manage to summon them in the first place?" he asked incredulously. "Why aren't they holograms?" Yugi shrugged helplessly.

"I'm not really sure myself! Atem told us to as soon as the portal opened. Apparently the energy the portal generates is powerful enough to bridge the gap to the Monster's realm and enable them to take physical form. Right now, though, I don't really care! All that matters is that we have some measure to keep Atem from getting sucked away!" Kaiba had to grudgingly agree with him. A voice suddenly broke out of the portal, not loud and booming as Kaiba would have expected, but quiet and low and almost pleading.

"My son, why do you resist? Let the portal bring you home. You belong here."

"No, he doesn't!" Tèa shouted, and it was only then that Kaiba noticed her presence. Tristan, Marik and Ishizu were in the room, too. "He's made this place his home now!" The voice—presumably Atem's father—continued as if he hadn't heard her. Perhaps he hadn't.

"It's pointless. Your Monsters are all but drained, so your return here is inevitable. Give up." Atem clenched his eyes shut.

"No," he muttered through gritted teeth, "I can't. I've decided to live my life here. Why can't you accept this?" The voice became hard.

"Because you are my son, an Eygptian Pharaoh. Life there is not worthy of you."

"Yes, it is! I have friends who care for me, and that's of far greater worth to me than being Pharaoh. Than being lonely for all eternity in the afterlife." The voice didn't reply to that, but the swirl of the portal intensified. Atem too fell silent, forced to concentrate all his energy simply into not moving. Kaiba clenched his fists. It was clear that this couldn't go on indefinitely. Kaiba fixed his gaze on Atem and wondered briefly how it would feel to lose him again. This time, Atem wasn't leaving them willingly, dignified—this time he was being dragged back against his will, clinging to the present and to life with all his might. Atem's words to him flashed through his mind. How they could be friends and not enemies, allies instead of bitter rivals. He thought of how often they had helped each other. He would not lose the only person to understand him, the one that had freed him from his darker side. The one who had stuck by him, even after he had destroyed Yugi's grandfather's card. Upon his return, Atem had called him—wanted his presence. And when he was distressed, Atem had cried out for Kaiba. Kaiba narrowed his eyes. He had lost Atem once. He would not do so again.

The Magicians last shred of strength failed them. They sagged to their knees, the staffs clattering uselessly to the floor. Atem managed to resist for a heartbeat, then felt the drag of the portal lifting him bodily from the floor. He turned briefly to try to catch a glimpse of his friends for the last time, and in doing so saw Kaiba launch himself towards him. Before anyone else had fully grasped what had happened, Kaiba had reacted. He latched onto the back of Atem's coat and used his superior weight and momentum to swivel them both around, throwing himself between Atem and the portal. They slammed into the swirling energy, and a cry of raw pain ripped from Kaiba's throat. Ishizu stepped forward.

"The portal is designed especially for Atem. Kaiba, who has never been in the afterlife, can't go through!" Kaiba was sandwiched between the portal and the Pharaoh, thereby effectively preventing the maelstrom from sucking Atem in, though not without a cost. Seto felt like he had leaned up against a wall of molten lava. The portal burned fiercely against his back, and it felt like he was being prodded by thousands of razor sharp needles. He screamed again involuntarily. He had never felt such pain before. He dug his fingers into Atem's coat and clung on fiercely, anything to direct his attention away from the horrific pain behind him. The room's occupants were frozen in horror, unsure of what to do. Atem looked over his shoulder in wonder at Kaiba, deeply touched by the grimace of intense pain he saw on the latter's face.

"Kaiba, you can't keep this up! It's too much for you!" Kaiba opened one eye fractionally and hissed through clenched teeth,

"No."

"Kaiba, you have to let me go. You have to get away." The grip on his coat tightened again.

"No." Kaiba's voice was thick with suppressed pain. Atem tried struggling weakly in an attempt to loosen Kaiba's death grip.

"Seto, I won't let you suffer like this for me. You have to—"

"No! Now shut up, or else I'll break your neck with my own hands." Atem stopped struggling as Seto bit back another cry. It felt like his back was being dissolved in acid. "Even if it kills me, I won't let you go, you idiot. You…you still owe me a duel." Kaiba's voice weakened and petered off, seriously distressing Atem.

"Father! Father, you have to close the portal now!"

"Not until you're home."

"Father, you're going to kill Kaiba!" A pause.

"If I must. Isn't that your greatest rival?" Atem glared at the portal. Kaiba felt himself starting to drift out of consciousness. He felt like he was outside observer looking back at himself. Exactly. He _was_ Atem's biggest rival. His enemy, in other wors. Why was he suffering like this for someone who was constantly defeating him? Someone who reveled in his defeats and losses? He felt his grip loosen slightly, but couldn't tell if he was intentionally loosening it or if he was merely getting weaker.

"Yes, he is my greatest rival." Atem's voice had dropped and he spoke with dead calm. Kaiba's fading consciousness, feeling as though it were floating somewhere above him, seemed to laugh at him. _I told you so_, it spat at him. _Absurd_. _How could you have been such an idiot_? "But…" His internal laughter fell silent again in order to better hear Atem. "But he's also my greatest friend. If he dies because of you, I swear to you that I will never return to you in the afterlife, even if I have to throw my heart to the Devourer myself." Kaiba's fading mind seemed to recall a fearsome beast of Egyptian mythology, part hippo, part lion, part crocodile that devoured the hearts of the wicked, thereby erasing their existence.

"You would never do that!" the voice cried, but Kaiba could hear an undertone of doubt.

"You think? I would never forgive you for his death. Why do you think I came back in the first place? Kaiba never recognized me as a friend. That thought never ceased to torment me. Without him, without his friendship, I could never be content. Besides—" His vehement, dead-serious tone suddenly turned wry. "Beside, I really do owe him a duel." Kaiba was too far-gone to say anything, but he did manage to fractionally tighten his grip to let Atem know that he had, indeed, heard. Oh yes, he had heard. And a chain around his heart had loosened. In your face, consciousness. His heart had been right. A smile ghosted across his face in the instant before he ultimately let go of awareness and blissfully escaped the pain.


	4. Chapter 4

Atem felt Kaiba sag behind him. He craned his neck around, fearing the worst. "Kaiba, no!" To his unutterable relief, he felt Kaiba's chest rise and fall behind his back, weakly but noticeably. Kaiba's fingers were still firmly entwined in Atem's jacket, even in unconsciousness. _Thank you, my friend. _Even though Kaiba had a momentary reprieve from the pain, his body wouldn't be able to withstand the stress much longer. Something had to be done, and fast.

"Yugi, do you still have your deck?" Yugi nodded, overcoming his shock. "Good. Summon Buster Blader." Yugi knit his brow in confusion but drew the card.

"I call Buster Blader!" he cried, raising the card above his head. It glowed momentarily before Buster Blader suddenly appeared with a flash.

"Excellent. Now activate—" Yugi grinned.

"Way ahead of you. I activate Fusion!" Buster Blader began to glow and levitated slightly above the floor, followed by the still exhausted Dark Magician. The two flowed into each other accompanied by a bright flash of light. There he was—blue-skinned Dark Paladin in all his glory.

"My friend—" Atem began, "Please, may I borrow your power?" Dark Paladin gazed at him for a long moment before slowly nodding. Atem closed his eyes and silently drew on Dark Paladin's energy. Suddenly Mokuba's voice broke raggedly through the silence from somewhere outside.

"I summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Thankfully, he had had the foresight to step outside; else everyone in the room would have been crushed. "Please, Pharaoh, use the dragon!" Mokuba called, echoed by the dragon's rumbling roar, as if it too were offering its power. Atem didn't wait to be asked twice. The dragon had a vast amount of power, greater even than Dark Paladin. Hopefully enough for what he needed.

Not only did Atem draw on the monsters for power, he also tapped into the bonds he shared with all his present friends, including Kaiba. Especially Kaiba. He drew on everyone's fierce desire for him to remain; Kaiba's being surprisingly the strongest of all, even while unconscious. _No, Father. I will not be returning to you. _He thought of Kaiba's sacrifice for him, of the pain Kaiba had endured for him—and with a great cry of effort, channeled all of his acquired power into the portal behind him—and gasped with relief as he felt and heard it seal closed. The wind cut off abruptly and he and Kaiba tumbled to the floor in an ungraceful heap, both of them unconscious now. The spectators remained rooted to the spot for a heartbeat before they all moved as one. Yugi and Mokuba recalled their drained monsters. The others rushed to their fallen friends, Tèa, Joey and Tristan to Atem and Marik and Ishizu to Kaiba. They quickly untangled them and hoisted them up onto separate sofas. Joey looked rather dazed.

"Can someone explain to me what just happened?" Marik crossed his arms and looked down at Atem as Mokuba ran in to join them.

"As far as I can tell, Atem used his—and your—strength to close the portal from this side. His father can't reach him now, no matter how much he wants to. The portal will only open again when and if the Pharaoh wants it to." Everyone sighed in relief and sagged against various furniture articles. Yugi was so relieved that he dropped completely to the floor.

"I didn't know he could do that!" he quipped. Tèa glanced over at where Kaiba was sleeping like a rock.

"I still can't believe it. Kaiba risked his life to keep the Pharaoh here. I would never have expected that from him." Joey looked over at him as well, something like respect shining in his eyes. Tèa looked sharply at Ishizu. "Is he badly hurt? He was screaming like he was being impaled." She shuddered at the memory.

"I don't think it's as bad as you assume. The portal consisted of pure energy and is nothing more than a special door between the worlds. It can't leave physical wounds. It feels terrible to the touch, but it doesn't leave behind burns. Exhaustion is probably the worst thing he'll come away with." Another round of relieved sighs echoed through the room, and Mokuba joined Yugi on the floor. They leaned their backs against the wall and exchanged thankful glances. Ishizu smiled. "I think I'm going to make some tea. We could all use some." Tèa jumped up and volunteered to help. Outside, the strange storm had vanished along with the portal, and soft sunlight filtered in through the windows, illuminating Kaiba and Atem's faces as they slept, making them glow as if with some inner light.


	5. Chapter 5

Kaiba awoke with a splitting headache. He had never been so exhausted in his life. He stared up at the ceiling, which was not _his _ceiling. Where was he? His memory came crashing back a moment later like a delayed tidal wave. Oh. He was still at Yugi's. With a deep groan, he heaved himself into a sitting position. Hesitantly, he reached back and touched his shoulder, expecting to recoil with searing pain. To his surprise, his back felt fine apart from a deep ache, as though he had pulled a muscle while overexerting himself. He dropped his hand with another groan. Only then did he realize he was not alone in the room. On the sofa across from him Atem sat as silent as a statue, a steaming mug of tea grasped in his hands. He acknowledged Kaiba's gaze with a slight tip of the head and nodded at the coffee table between them, where another mug of tea sat steaming pleasantly.

"We didn't know how you like your tea, so we didn't put anything in it. Cream and sugar are there if you want any." He took another sip of tea. Kaiba wasn't usually a tea drinker, but the mug in front of him looked unusually inviting. He threw a pinch of sugar into it and raised it slowly from the table, letting its warmth seep through the ceramic into his hands. The two of them sat in companionable silent for while, occasionally punctuated by someone taking a sip of tea. Finally Kaiba spoke.

"So, what happened? Apparently we won." Atem almost smiled.

"Yes, we did win. Thanks to you." Kaiba cast him a glance and Atem proceeded to quickly sum up what had happened after Seto had fallen unconscious. Kaiba listened silently, gazing pensively into his mug. "Thank you," Atem said at last, after he had concluded his narrative. "Without your help I would be back in the afterlife now." Kaiba didn't reply. Silence. "Kaiba…why?" Kaiba didn't lift his gaze, though he did smile darkly. "I though you couldn't stand me. I thought you'd be happy if I left." Kaiba snorted.

"Seriously? After I told you that I actually missed you and everything?"

"I didn't know if you were serious, or if you had changed your mind and regretted your words. I don't want to force you into a friendship, you know." Kaiba barked out a laugh.

"You have to admit, sometimes it seems as though you're trying to shove it down my throat. What you have to realize is that I have years of loneliness and hate behind me. I can't forget it or sidestep it in one fell swoop." Atem sighed.

"As well you shouldn't. Your experiences have made you into the person you are today, after all. What _you _need to realize is that I like _you, _Seto, despite your greed and hate and acid wit. Improve yourself, of course, but don't feel as though you have to completely change who you are. I want Seto Kaiba as a friend. That's all." Kaiba was quiet for a long while. He didn't know quite how to reply to that. "All right, shall we get that duel behind us?" Atem said it so casually that it took Kaiba a moment to realize what he had said. He looked up sharply.

"What? You're joking. I'm exhausted as never before and I feel like crap." Atem laughed.

"Well, so do I."

"Besides, there's no Duel Arena anywhere around here." Atem shrugged.

"So what?" He placed his deck on a corner of the coffee table. "People were dueling long before you invented the Duel Disks and the Arenas. They just look cooler nowadays, I'll grant you that much." Kaiba stared at him as though he were daft.

"You want to duel, just like that? As though we were playing cards? Here, on the table?" Atem met his shocked expression with a wry one and nodded.

"Yes. We _are_ just playing cards, you know. Duel Monsters _is_ a card game, after all, when you think about it. I just want to play a simple duel with you. No souls to win back, no Yami Marik that wants to take over the world, no Dartz and no Leviathan, no tournament. I want to duel because it's fun. What do you say?" Kaiba stared speechlessly at Atem's deck for a very long time. Duel for the fun of it? He had forgotten that people even did that. When was the last time he had had…fun? He looked up into Atem's patient gaze. For that matter, when was the last time the _Pharaoh _had had fun? He was always dueling with an agenda, too. Save Yugi's grandfather. Stop Pegasus. Stop Marik. Save his friends. Save the world. Enter the afterlife. Kaiba reached into his coat where his deck sat waiting. Could he even have fun anymore? He had gone without it for so long that it might be impossible now. Well, there was only one way to find out. He placed his own deck on the table across from Atem.

"Why not? It's time to duel." They both shuffled their decks and began.

Tèa cast a wondering glance around the doorframe, afraid even to breathe for fear of being discovered. She had planned to see if the guys had finished their tea and offer to make them some supper so they could all eat together. But one glance into the room had stopped her cold. She still couldn't believe her eyes, and even rubbed them a couple times to make sure fatigue wasn't making her hallucinate. Kaiba and Atem—CEO and Pharaoh—were seated across from each other, intensely engaged in a game of Duel Monsters…a _regular _game of Duel Monsters, of the kind she and Joey used to play. Her shock finally softened into a smile as she felt Ishizu join her in the doorway.

"The world is safe," Ishizu murmured. "They can allow themselves to be completely normal boys now." Tèa grinned at her.

"I don't know if you can exactly describe Seto and Atem as 'completely normal'," she murmured back. Ishizu echoed her smile before suddenly shifting her gaze over Tèa's shoulder to the far window. "Look, Tèa," she said, grabbing her friend's arm excitedly, "Look out the window! It's snowing!"


	6. Chapter 6

Kaiba scowled as Atem activated his trap card and wiped out Kaiba's remaining life points. He had lost to Atem again. He waited for the familiar feelings of defeat and bitterness that always followed such defeats, but to his surprise all he felt was a slight twinge of disappointment and the satisfaction of a game well played. A game he had played for fun. _Fun_. He gathered up his cards.

"Good game, Pharaoh." Atem smiled.

"Same to you, Seto. But I'm still Duel Champion." Kaiba grimaced.

"I know. But that means you continue to owe me a duel."

"Aha. I suppose I'll continue to do so until you win, am I right?"

"Of course." Atem paused, not sure if Kaiba was joking or not. He decided to give Kaiba the benefit of the doubt and drop the subject. Kaiba stretched and groaned. A glance at the clock told him it was getting rather late. A residual ache in his muscles told him that he still hadn't quite recovered from their earlier adventure. "I think I'll slowly get going. I've wasted enough time here already." In all honesty, he was rather dreading the drive home. In his haste to get to Yugi's house, he hadn't bothered to wait for his chauffeur and had instead driven the limo himself. Looking out the window, he saw to his wonder that the air was thick with fat white snowflakes. He grimaced. Great. Now he had to drive home through a snowstorm feeling like his Blue Eyes had trampled him. Kaiba rubbed his temples. Now was one of those rare times when he wished Mokuba could drive. Atem glanced between Kaiba's chagrined expression and the snow flurries outside.

"Kaiba…do you want to stay the night here?" Kaiba raised his gaze slowly. "It wouldn't make any sense for you to survive the portal only to die in a car crash." Kaiba's gut reaction was a desire to shout NO vehemently in Atem's face. His second and more logical reaction, however, was to consider all of his options, consider the state he was in, and consider Atem's offer in a purely objective light.

"Yes. Thank you." It took him a moment to realize that the voice he had just heard had been his own. He cursed himself silently, but the words already hung in the air, mocking him and refusing to come back. "If you're certain you're all right with it. If you have enough room." Atem smiled wryly at him. He could tell Kaiba was having second thoughts and was trying to back pedal, but now that he had his spoken consent he wasn't about to let him escape.

"We'll make room. Think of it as repayment for saving my life." Kaiba sighed in resignation.

"Oh, all right. Do you plan on feeding us, too?" Tèa took that as her cue and waltzed into the room as if she had just arrived. Both guys looked up at her in surprise.

"Oh good, you're both awake! How are you feeling? Bad? Only to be expected. Are you hungry? Ishizu and I whipped up a little something…would you like some?" The guys exchanged glances, then looked at Tèa and nodded simultaneously. She grinned at them. "Excellent. Tristan and Joey managed to escape before the snow started, by the way, but the Ishtars and we are stuck here for the time being." The last was called over her shoulder as she moved back through the doorway towards the kitchen. Atem rose a moment later and followed her out. Kaiba remained where he was, turning a thoughtful gaze out of the window. A mere year ago, he would have never thought to find himself in this situation. He was at Yugi's house! Drinking tea! Dueling for pleasure! About to spend the night at the house of his greatest rival! He shook his head in wonder. Is this what it was like to have friends? Mokuba bounced into the room, startling him out of his reverie.

"Come on, big brother, everything's ready!" Kaiba rose languidly, wincing as his abused muscles protested, and followed Mokuba down the hall.

For as long as he could remember, Seto Kaiba had eaten alone or with Mokuba. Mealtime had always been a subdued, quiet time; merely a break in the course of the day to intake required nourishment. This time, the meal was accompanied by a lot more conversation and activity then he was accustomed to. People were bustling all around the table, setting out food and silverware. Tèa and Yugi were teasing each other, and Marik was cracking lame jokes, prompting Ishizu to whack him with a nearby dishtowel. Mokuba plopped down into a chair and Tèa tousled his hair before handing him a plate. Mokuba certainly looked happier than Seto had seen him a while. He was positively beaming. The dishes were uncovered, revealing steaming lasagna. Tèa grinned at everyone's suddenly ravenous expressions.

"Ishizu and I took the liberty of preparing it while everyone was asleep. So, shall we?" No one hesitated. Chairs were drawn up all around the table and plates heaped with food. It was the simplest fare Kaiba had seen in a long while, but his grumbling stomach didn't much care at the moment. Everyone dug in with relish. Kaiba listened silently to the conversation buzzing around him. They seemed to have forgotten that they were all trapped together in a snowdrift, based on their happy expressions and laughter. Or—perhaps they hadn't forgotten, but simply didn't care! It seemed as though everyone was genuinely enjoying each other's company. Tèa was recounting a funny story from school to Ishizu. Atem and Mark were discussing the finer points of a dueling strategy involving Dark Paladin, Yugi and Mokuba listening intently. Kaiba found himself listening rather closely too, as he lifted another forkful to his mouth. He had to admit to himself that the lasagna wasn't half bad. Suddenly Marik looked over at him.

"What do you think, Kaiba? Should he play the trap card before or after initiating his first attack?" Kaiba froze for a split second. For a moment he had thought—or hoped, rather—that the others had forgotten he was even there. Now they were trying to pull him into the conversation. It was a lame tactic and tacky bait, but he was already so far out of character that he figured one more step couldn't hurt. He took the bait deliberately.

"Of course before. Doing otherwise would just be ridiculous." He couldn't help noticing how everyone's face lit up at his reply, including Mokuba's. Good grief, was it so unusual for him to engage in conversation? Well—maybe it was. Atem grinned.

"I thought so," he said, reaching for the breadbasket and selecting a roll before offering it to Kaiba. They locked gazes for a moment and Kaiba wondered if he had been talking about the cards or something else entirely.

"Thank you," Kaiba said coolly, taking the bread from Atem. As they broke their gaze and resumed eating, Atem wondered if he had imagined it, or if Kaiba had been thanking him for more than just the bread.


	7. Chapter 7

The storm hadn't slowed down a bit over the course of the meal. If anything, it had gotten worse. There was no chance of Kaiba getting out, no matter how badly he wanted to. After the lasagna was finished and the table cleared off, sleeping arrangements were discussed and finally settled on. Yugi surrendered his room to the girls, Yugi and Mokuba would get the couches in the living room, Marik would get the remaining armchair, and Kaiba and Atem were stuck with air mattresses on the floor. Kaiba took one look at the air mattress and seriously considered trying his luck out in the storm. But Mokuba had already settled onto the couch and looked far too warm and content for Kaiba to even suggest leaving. So he swallowed his pride for about the thousandth time that day and sat down on the mattress. At least Yugi had two mattresses—forced to share a bed with Atem, he would have spent the night in his limo, hypothermia notwithstanding.

Marik chucked a thick comforter with a Blue Eyes print at him. Atem had a matching one with a Dark Magician print. Kaiba wondered where on Earth they had dragged these eyesores from. Mokuba, his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon comforter pulled to his chin, was already asleep. Yugi was definitely drifting. Marik settled into the armchair with a dun throw blanket and dark brown comforter and curled up like a cat. Egyptian born and raised, he was freezing…especially since he was still in the habit of wearing a sleeveless hoodie regardless of temperature or weather. Suppressing a shiver, he clutched the comforter tighter, a picture of abject misery.

Atem clicked off the light, plunging the room into semi-darkness, lit only by the moonlight filtering through the window. He also sat down on his mattress. They sat motionless and silent in the dark for a long while. Finally Atem broke the silence with a low murmur, so low that Kaiba almost had to hold his breath to hear him.

"It's only for one night." Kaiba smirked, although he knew Atem couldn't see.

"The mind-reading powers of the Millenniums Eye have rubbed off on you, have they?"

"No, but I know you. You've always preferred to keep your distance. But spending one night under the same roof with friends will not kill you, I promise." With that, he turned his own comforter down, swung his legs up onto the mattress, and promptly disappeared under the covers. A few moments later the deepened rhythm of his breathing attested to the fact that he had immediately fallen asleep. Kaiba crossed his arms and looked down at his own comforter. It was starting to get cold.

Kaiba's first thought when he woke up was instant relief that his headache was gone. He was curled in a semi-fetal position so he could fit all of his long, slender form beneath the comforter. The stupid mattress was obviously not designed for someone of his stature. His prized silver coat was thrown over Marik, because Kaiba had woken in the middle of the night to Marik chattering pitiably beneath both blankets. Less out of the goodness of his heart and more out of a desire for silence, Kaiba had shrugged off his coat and thrown it over Marik's shivering form. He had been rewarded with an absolutely astonished expression from Marik, his purple eyes flashing wide in the moonlight. Kaiba had ignored it and gone right back to bed where it was warmer. Looking around now, it appeared he was the first awake. No, take that back—Atem's mattress was empty. A glance at the clock proclaimed it to be nine in the morning. Kaiba heaved himself out of bed, ran his fingers through his hair to restore a semblance of order, glanced briefly at his coat, and strode off towards the kitchen.

As expected, he found Atem alone at the table, indulging in a bowl of cereal. The Pharaoh looked up, not appearing surprised at all, and raised a hand in greeting. He gestured towards an empty bowl and the cereal box next to him. Kaiba hesitated. He wasn't much of a breakfast person usually, but his body had taken a beating the day before and could use the nourishment—besides, he wasn't just going to sit and watch Atem eat. So he poured himself a bowl as well and sat down across from Atem. Silence descended except for a steady _crunch-crunch-crunch._ Atem spoke first.

"Sleep well?" Kaiba shrugged noncommittally. "I know, it was cold, you were in a strange house, the bed was too small…" Kaiba snorted.

"That was a very good summary of my night, except you forgot to include the shivering Egyptian." Atem smirked.

"That was a good thing you did last night. Marik woke me up, too." Kaiba shrugged again. He pushed his now empty bowl to the side.

"The storm's cleared up now. You know that as soon as Mokuba wakes up, we're going straight home. Unlike you I actually have a life to attend to here, including a job and a company. Which reminds me, I need to use your phone." Kaiba pushed his chair back and strode to the phone. Atem watched him go thoughtfully. It was only the morning after, and already Kaiba was starting to act like his usually caustic self. His words—how Atem didn't have a life here—had stung. He didn't know if Kaiba had meant it as maliciously as it had sounded—after yesterday he didn't really think so—but it showed Kaiba still wasn't thinking in terms of friendship. If he went back to KaibaCorp like that, they wouldn't see him again for a very long time. He would probably regress. Atem could very quickly lose all the ground he'd managed to gain. He thought about losing to Yugi and entering the afterlife. He had lost Kaiba once. He would not do so again.

As Atem listened to Kaiba talking to one of his subordinates over the phone, assuring them that he was fine and would definitely be back to work that day, he surreptitiously reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cell phone—a welcome gift from Tèa—and sent out a few messages of his own.


	8. Chapter 8

Kaiba was impatient to be going, but he was a good brother and didn't want to wake Mokuba. Atem had gone back into the living room, leaving him alone in the kitchen. Marik stumbled in at quarter to ten and threw Kaiba his coat, gratitude written all over his face. He grabbed a toaster strudel and left again. Ten minutes later the girls trickled in, talking. They carried on as if Kaiba were invisible, grabbing a yogurt each before leaving again. Right after that, Mokuba bounced in, much to Seto's relief.

"Mokuba! There you are. Grab some breakfast and eat quickly. We're leaving soon." Mokuba's face fell.

"What? Already? But the snow is so pretty, and the others just got here!" Kaiba was in the process of pulling on his coat. He paused momentarily and shot Mokuba a wary look.

"_What _others?" he asked a little apprehensively. Mokuba was just about to reply when the door swung open and a whirlwind blasted past the brothers in a beeline for the fridge.

"What's Yugi got to eat around here?" Tristan wondered aloud, yanking the fridge open. Behind him, Joey, Duke and Bakura all craned their necks to see around him. Kaiba groaned inwardly. It was _definitely _time to go. Duke glanced up and waved at him.

"Yo, Kaiba, good morning! Quite a day yesterday, huh?" Kaiba shot him a disdainful glare and all but stalked out. Mokuba crammed the rest of the roll he was eating into his mouth and followed him out. Tristan grabbed Joey's wrist and dragged him away from the fridge as the rest of them followed close behind.

The snow _was _very pretty. It almost made up for the fact that Kaiba had to knock a whole heap of it off of his limo. Mokuba wasn't being much of a help, since he was busy building a miniature snowman with Serenity, who had come along with Joey, and Bakura. Mai Valentine had also inexplicably shown up. Kaiba opened the driver's side door and called back to Mokuba.

"Come on, Mokuba, it's time to go." Mokuba looked up, obviously disappointed, but complied. Kaiba had just turned around to get in when it happened. He heard a soft rushing sound behind him, but before he could react a wet, cold mass shattered on the back of his head. Snow fell down inside the collar of his coat, stinging his neck. He reached up and hastily knocked clumps of snow out of his hair. Slowly, deliberately, he turned around to face the group behind him, his face dangerously expressionless and deadly calm.

"Who threw that?" he hissed, his voice hard and sharp as steel. The crowd behind him could have made a lovely assortment of statues, what with how suddenly and completely they had frozen in place. All of them looked as innocent as they possibly could. They were all there. Who could have had the _nerve_….suddenly—he saw it. The telltale drops of meltwater that slid from the culprit's fingertips. Kaiba glanced up. Could it be…? He stared into Atem's unreadable gaze. Atem? It was so silent one could have heard a pin drop. No one dared to move. No one dared to _breathe. _Atem coolly held Kaiba's astonished gaze. He had risked everything with that one snowball—now it was up to Kaiba as to what happened now. What would he do next?

Kaiba suddenly turned around, leaned into the car, and snatched up his car phone. Everyone remained frozen in place as he dialed, not really understanding what was going on.

"Hello? Yes, it's me, Seto Kaiba. I've changed my mind. I won't be coming in to work today after all." He hung up as abruptly as he had dialed. Everyone was staring at him in astonishment, not really sure they were seeing what they were seeing. Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Then suddenly, quick as a flash, Seto scooped a fistful of snow off the limo's roof, expertly packed it into a ball, and hurled it with deadly accuracy before anyone had a chance to react. The snowball smacked dead center into Atem's chest, catching him completely by surprise. He stumbled back a step. Now it was Kaiba's turn to hold Atem's astonished gaze with a cool one. Atem suddenly broke into a grin, grabbed some more snow, and chucked it back at Kaiba. This time, however, Kaiba was ready for him. He caught the snowball easily, turned slightly, and threw it again, striking Joey on the shoulder. Joey stared back in absolute shock. Kaiba closed the limo door without turning around and was struck a glancing blow by a snowball in the shoulder. He looked down into Mokuba's grinning face as pandemonium broke out.

Yugi threw a snowball at Mokuba, Mai and Tristan pelted Joey simultaneously, and Ishizu scored a direct hit to the back of Marik's head, scattering snow all down the reindeer print sweater Yugi had lent him. Serenity used Duke as a shield from Mai, prompting Tristan to direct a veritable barrage of snowballs at him until Serenity switched to Joey and Duke's hair and clothing were full of snow, making him look like some kind of comical Abominable Snowman. Kaiba and Atem, for their part, were both deadly accurate, striking everyone they threw at except for each other and somehow managing to magically avoid everyone else's attempts to strike them. Frustrated, Tèa finally pulled Yugi aside and whispered something to him. Amidst the melee the two slowly spread the word. Suddenly, as one, the whole group ganged up on Atem and Kaiba. Previously unscathed, both the Pharaoh and Seto found they didn't stand a chance against so large a force. Even Serenity managed to strike Kaiba a glancing blow. Marik took fiendish pleasure in pelting Atem, while Yugi threw at both alternatingly, grinning all the while. Soon the two were forced to retreat behind Kaiba's limo for shelter.

"All right already!" Atem cried. "We give up!" Kaiba grabbed his arm, his eyes flashing.

"What? Give up? I didn't know those words existed in your vocabulary. The odds aren't exactly in our favor, but…" Kaiba paused. Was he really about to say this? Oh yeah, he was. "But together we're unbeatable. We've taken out bigger enemies than these guys before. And they're just armed with snowballs." Atem smiled wryly back at him.

"We're also only armed with snowballs."

"Yes, but we also have each other." Now Atem grinned and nodded. Kaiba echoed his nod and the two rose as one from behind the limo. They were immediately met with a hail of snowballs, but they were ready for them this time. They began to work in shifts, one throwing as the other packed, one right after the other, keeping up a steady stream of their own. Coupled with their nigh perfect aim, the attackers were quickly driven back. Finally the group threw up their hands in surrender. Tèa laughed.

"All right, all right! We give up. You can stop annihilating us, now." Joey knocked snow out of his coat.

"It's just not fair. Some people have all the luck. Those two aren't just world class Duel Champions, they throw a mean snowball." Another snowball plowed into the back of his head right as he finished. He spun around and glared at Kaiba, who returned his gaze with dead calm. Ishizu rubbed her bright red hands together and tossed her hair.

"I think I'm going to make us another round of tea. I'm half frozen out here." Tèa and Serenity quickly followed her in. Bakura and Mokuba were still knocking snow out of their manes of hair.

"I'm hungry," Bakura said with a sigh. He glanced at his watch. "It is already eleven o'clock." He glanced at Mokuba. "Want to go see if we can get the girls to fix us something?" Mokuba looked all ready to reply, but he cast a questioning glance at Seto first. His brother might decide it was really time to go. Kaiba was, in fact, thinking just that, but one look at Mokuba's pleading expression changed his mind. He nodded curtly. Mokuba's face lit up and he dashed off after Bakura. Atem came up beside Kaiba and brushed snow off the back of Kaiba's coat. Kaiba folded his arms and glanced over at him. Atem shook snow out of his own hair and smiled.

"That was amazing. Not bad for your first snowball fight." Kaiba smirked.

"Same goes for you." Atem nodded.

"True. Not a bad start to our first real winter vacation, either." Kaiba stared at him in wonder.

"This isn't my first winter vacation."

"I know. I said _real _winter vacation. When was the last time you took off from work during a school break?" Kaiba thought for a moment.

"Well…never."

"Exactly. In my case, Pharaohs don't get vacations. Plus, I've spent the past few years living in the Millenniums Puzzle. So." He looked down at his hands, bright red from the cold. "This is real winter vacation for the first time."

"Hmm." The two guys looked at each other for a long while. Suddenly Serenity poked her head out the door.

"Hey, you two! If you continue to stand out there you'll turn into a pair of snowmen! Come on inside, the tea's ready and Marik is starting a fire in the fireplace." She disappeared back inside as quickly as she had appeared. Kaiba shrugged and nodded towards the door.

"Shall we? I'm getting kind of chilled out here. A tea wouldn't be half bad right now." Atem smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Neither would a fire. Maybe you can try beating me in a duel again. Although it's futile." He started back towards the house. He was reaching for the doorknob when a snowball hit him full in the back of the head. He brushed snow off his neck, laughing, and disappeared into the house without turning around. Kaiba stared up into the bright sky for a while by himself, pondering. As he stood lost in thought, snowflakes started to float down around him. He smiled to himself almost without realizing it. Maybe it would snow hard enough that he'd be forced to stay a second night. Atem reappeared in the doorway. "Hey, Seto, you coming in?" He was holding two mugs of tea. Seto looked over at him and smiled—almost causing Atem to drop his tea—and walked over to join him, relieving him of one of the mugs. The two boys retreated into the house and joined the rest of the gang by the fireplace in the living room. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day. For Kaiba, it was shaping up to be a beautiful life.

_Fin_


End file.
